AS in the past, there are myriad “Gandhara” conferences being organized in 2026.

One of the conferences that I have been asked to conceptualize and organize endeavors to bring monks and Buddhists from the world to Pakistan. However, their participation will be anything but traditional. They will not merely be “VIPs and panelists” in sessions full of Pakistani “experts”. On the contrary, they will lead the discussions because they are the experts – not necessarily on Gandhara, but what Gandhara means to the Buddhists. They will also review, give feedback and provide validation to the Pakistan’s 10-year strategy to create a $30 billion Gandhara/Buddhism Pilgrimage sector – a strategy that I have written extensively on in this and other mediums. In Pakistan, this strategy has already been documented and shared with all relevant government departments. Now, it is time to seek guidance from the end-users.

Recently, I was discussing the strategy and the concept of this conference with Dr. Kyosoon Park (she is a South Korean lady who has been dedicated to Gandhara promotion for decades). This amazing individual shared thoughts and ideas that were compelling which I decided to document in this article. As our discussion progressed, Dr. Park intensely supported the concept of this conference and humbly asked if she be allowed to speak at the conference on the Gandharan sculptures. Her reasoning resonated with me and is as follows.

“The........

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